1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to self-inflating enclosures, such as balloons and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a self-inflating enclosure, such as a balloon or the like, wherein the self-inflating enclosure is inflatable through a chemical reaction between at least two reactive components and wherein the self-inflating enclosure is provided with discreet chambers for separating the products of the chemical reaction.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Various self-inflating enclosures, such as balloons and the like, are known in the prior art. One such known inflatable enclosure is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,247,809 Foster which shows an inflatable balloon structure having an inflation neck connected to a gas generator. This old gas generator includes a first cylindrical tube, open at both of its ends, and containing a material, such as carbide, which forms a gas when contacted with water. A second open-ended tube is imbedded within the carbide and contains water. The open ends of the second tube are sealed with wax plugs. Water entering the outer tube, through the open ends thereof, initiates the formation of gas and generates sufficient heat to melt the wax plugs, closing the ends of the second tube, which permits the water inside the second tube to exit from the inner tube into the outer tube to complete the gas generation by reacting with the carbide in the outer tube. The gas passes through the inflation neck and into the balloon to inflate the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,771,730 Marcks shows an inflatable flotation bag, fabricated of a water permeable, elastic flexible material, such as linen and containing a small charge of gas producing chemicals, such as powdered citric acid, tartaric acid, or an acetate and sodium bicarbonate. When the water permeable bag is immersed in water, the water enters the bag causing a chemical reaction with the gas producing chemicals therein, which, in turn, inflates the bag. The water also causes the permeable bag material to swell, closing the permeable bag material, to form an impervious bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,024 McConnell illustrates a signal balloon having an inflation neck connected to a compressed gas cylinder. This old signal balloon has a check valve and a pointed needle for piercing the gas cylinder. When the gas cylinder is attached to the inflation neck, the needle pierces the gas cylinder, thus releasing pressurized gas into the balloon. The check valve prevents the back flow of gas from the balloon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,590 Weeks shows a flotation device to be attached to, for example, a fishing rod, to prevent it from sinking, if dropped into the water. The flotation device includes a plastic cylinder containing a gas producing chemical, such as calcium carbide. One end wall of the cylinder has an opening for water to enter the cylinder. The other end wall of the cylinder has an opening for the egress of gas. A balloon has a filling neck attached to the cylinder at the gas egress end. A check valve is located at the gas egress opening of the cylinder to prevent gas from flowing out of the balloon. The cylinder is attached to the fishing rod by clamps. If the fishing rod is dropped into the water, the water will enter the cylinder, creating a gas upon reaction with the calcium carbide inside the cylinder, that inflates the balloon and, thus, prevents the fishing rod from sinking. However, the aforementioned prior-art inflatable enclosures are complicated in structure and, hence, expensive to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,214 to Liebermann teaches an inflatable enclosure and means to inflate same wherein a first enclosure is formed from a fluid-impermeable polymer and contains a predetermined quantity of citric acid therein, and wherein the first enclosure is surrounded by a second enclosure in liquid-communication therewith and wherein the second enclosure is formed from a gas-permeable porous material, such as, for example, calendared, bonded or random-laid fiber, and wherein the second enclosure includes a predetermined quantity of sodium bicarbonate provided therein. The second enclosure is sealingly surrounded by a third enclosure having a graphical image or other indicia provided on an outer surface thereof. Inflation of the self-inflating enclosure is accomplished by a user's fracturing the first enclosure (such as by squeezing through the second and third enclosures), thereby permitting the citric acid provided therein to mix with the sodium bicarbonate and thereby generating carbon dioxide gas through a chemical reaction therewith. The carbon dioxide gas permeates through the second enclosure and into the third enclosure, thereby inflating same. However, the porous second enclosure oftentimes permits the citric acid to likewise permeate through the second enclosure, creating a likelihood that the citric acid may leak or otherwise escape from the third enclosure or that the carbon dioxide gas may dissolve back into the citric acid with which it is permitted to commingle within the third enclosure, thereby deflating the self-inflating enclosure. It is therefore desirable to provide a self-inflating enclosure being inflatable through a chemical reaction between at least two reactive components and wherein the self-inflating enclosure is provided with discreet chambers for separating the products of the chemical reaction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,645 to Kato teaches an inflatable bag having a rupturable sack disposed therein wherein the inflatable bag contains sodium bicarbonate and an externally-breakable container filled with an acidic solution and wherein breaking the container causes the acidic solution to mix with the sodium bicarbonate, thereby creating carbon dioxide gas and inflating the innermost sack until the innermost sack is punctured under the pressure being accumulated therein. However, the carbon dioxide is permitted to mix with the acidic solution, and likely dissolve therein, deflating the bag.